Star Wars 2: from the Adventures of Luke Skywalker
by The Drunken Wookiee
Summary: An alternate sequel to the original classic movie.
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer: This story has been loosely adapted from the book 'Splinter of the Mind's Eye', by Alan Dean Foster.  Most of the dialogue, events and plot points have been changed, but some situations remain.**

**This story ignores the events of all other Star Wars movies but the original classic, but utilizes the established Star Wars universe, as seen in all the movies and books.**

Star Wars II 

_After their victory over the death star, the rebellion has begun to build in strength of force. Many new worlds have seceded to the rebel alliance, nearly as many contributing spacecraft and armies to the cause. Under the council of the leaders of the rebellion, General Dodonna has sent a team of spies into the capitol world of Coruscant to help devise a plan for the emperor's assassination. _

_While Dodonna prepares the mixed armies for space combat against larger, newer ships, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia have departed for Circarpous, where several resistance groups have gathered to meet with her as she tries to persuade them over to the rebellion, and Han Solo and Chewbacca have returned to Tattooine to pay off Jabba the Hutt with the money the rebellion has paid them for their mercenary work. _

_Imperial probe droids scope the galaxy for signs of the rebels' new base world while the fleet assembles around the Imperial core world of Coruscant to await the command of the Emperor. Vader returns to Coruscant as well in his modified TIE after a slow journey from the battle over Yavin IV... _

==================================

Vader marched through the sterile corridors of the senate building, flanked by bumbling officers muttering words he chose not to hear. His only thought was of revenge. He pushed aside a large door with a shudder of the force and entered a large room lavishly decorated with tapestries and statues of senators in their royal finery. Vader's boots clomped loudly on the marble floor, echoed around the spacious, dome-shaped room. He ascended the three small steps that stood before the emperor's empty throne. The emperor stood before a large round window, overlooking the Coruscant sunset, which glinted and glared off the windows of the surrounding buildings. Two chameleon-men stepped forth from invisibility on either side of the window, blasters in hand. Vader stood motionless, his every breath screeching through the polished room and returning eerily in echoes. 

Palpatine turned, his back rigid, dressed in the gold-trimmed, purple imperial robes. He approached the massive black form slowly, licking his lips with evil delight. "Lord Vader." Palpatine's voice dripped acid; his words came out crinkly and calculated. "Our moles in the rebellion have found the boy who destroyed the Death Star. He is named Skywalker... and it seems he was a pupil of Kenobi for a short period... He carries a lightsaber." 

"He is strong and the force, like his father was." 

"He must be destroyed. He has recently departed on a mission for the rebellion in the Circarpous system." 

"He will not complete his mission." 

"You are the only one who can kill him, Vader. You must leave immediately." 

"It will be done." Vader turned on his heel and walked out without another word. He did not acknowledge his emperor's superior position, but Palpatine showed no sign of offense. The slightest sigh escaped his throat when the door shut behind the dark lord, his tense muscles relaxed ever-slightly.


	2. scene 2

"Everything okay back there, Artoo?" Luke asked through a small microphone on the Noobian Cruiser ship's console. He'd felt the slightest twitch in the force since they had exited hyperspace. Something bothered him, but he couldn't figure what. Before them two planets loomed up, a grey quagmire world, and behind it a blue and green fertile-looking planet. Artoo beeped back a rapid, nervous string of binary. Luke looked at the small translation screen before him, but was suddenly reminded of Threepio's presence as the protocol droid spoke worriedly behind him. 

"Oh dear. Artoo says the port engine is beginning to generate unequal radiation pulses..." 

"How bad?" Luke asked. 

Leia looked up from the console beside him, her questions and worries etched across her face. She said nothing. As Artoo beeped his reply Luke began to notice some difficulty in controlling the ship. "Now I can feel it..." 

"We'll have to stop at the first base on Circarpous five and get this thing fixed," Leia said. Her very presence washed through him in the force as she spoke, soothing him. 

Luke shook his head. He didn't look away from the planets ahead of them. "I think we can make it..." 

Artoo interrupted with more binary chatter. "Artoo says we must land as quickly as possible," Threepio said nervously. 

"Circarpous five might not even have an emergency standby station," Luke argued, though he turned the ship toward the swampy planet. 

"There's a directional landing beacon, so maybe they do. I hope we don't miss that meeting. I have to convince them..." 

"I know, Leia. We'll do what we can." He could feel her eyes on him, sense her like a tidal wave of mixed feelings. He had to risk a momentary glance into her eyes. He turned to her, but she looked away. Embarrassed, or afraid... he could almost feel her emotions. The ship rattled; Luke returned his attention to the moment. 

Silence pierced the air while Artoo attempted to fix the ship's many problems, and Luke concentrated on flying the ship. He tried to quiet his mind, as Ben Kenobi had instructed, but it ran a thousand marathons in opposite directions all at once. He couldn't pick a track to follow. Luke eased off the acceleration, attempted again to reach out into the force. He eased his brain to silence until he could sense the world around him. The ground, the twisted, mangley trees, the ship, the Princess... 

A sudden fear washed over him, ominous, foreboding. He swam his mind out of the force's gentle stream, longed for the chaos to retake his mind. Her voice pulled him free. "What is it, Luke?" she asked, attempting to conceal her concern. 

"I sense something..." he trailed off. The battle-worn Noobian ship stole into the fog of the marsh-filled Circarpous V's outer atmosphere. 

"What do you sense?" Leia asked. 

"I think it's a... disturbance in the force..." 

"I don't even know what that means," she said, her voice slightly tweaked with masked despair. She looked outside the ship to see what he was sensing, but they were surrounded by thick fog. 

Luke took in a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I'm not sure I do either..." Again he could feel her eyes. They searched his face for answers. "It's just that I had a strong feeling... oh, I can't describe it. I wish Ben were here... he'd know." Luke turned to meet her eyes. Suddenly a tinny metallic voice smashed through his ears. 

"We're doomed!" Threepio called out, pointing just ahead of them. They looked to the storm of multicolored electric energy that soon engulfed the ship. It raced all along the inside and out, swallowed it whole, and then passed on behind them. Luke pulled back on the controls to right the ship before it lost power. All the lights went out in the cockpit just as Artoo rolled in casting a faint blue light. The swarming, swirling electric storm lent flashing disco lighting to its discarded victims. Then the ship struck swamp, skidded and skipped, slowly easing into a stop. Luke wrestled with the ship's controls, to no effect. The ship stopped flat on a tree, jarring them all to a halt and sending Artoo into the back of Leia's chair with a high-pitched squeal. 

Rain pittered upon the pane in front of them, the only sound. The smell of burnt silicon snuck into the air in small wisps of smoke. The sky flashed and flickered above them. Finally the ship's emergency powers kicked in, and Luke turned from his pondering over the strange storm to Leia. She stared at the fallen tree that had wrinkled the front of the ship in its effort to stop them. 

"Well that could have turned out better," Luke said. 

"It could have been worse, too," she said, turning to him.  She smirked, remembering where she'd first heard it.

Luke smiled, and became aware of the small motors in Threepio's neck propelling his brass head back and forth to watch them speak. 

Luke and Leia's eyes met. 

Artoo whistled and beeped into their silent moment. They turned to the droids behind them. 

"Sir, if you don't mind my saying so, I think we should evacuate before this ship sinks further into the swamp," Threepio

said. 

Artoo swiveled his visual sensor on Threepio and beeped at him curtly. 

Threepio drew back indignantly. "Oh, who cares, you glorified paperweight! I relayed your message, didn't I?" 

Artoo razzed him and rolled out of the room. Luke and Leia got up and gathered their essentials into a large pack, which Luke then placed on his back. Leia opened up the inner airlock door, and they all stepped inside. Leia and Luke each grabbed a mask hanging from a tube on either side of the airlock and put them on. Luke pressed a button on the wall and the inner door slid closed, then the outer door slid open. Another button extended the ramp. 

Threepio followed Artoo out onto the crooked ramp, then stopped and turned back to them. "The atmosphere levels are perfectly safe for humans," he said. 

They took off their masks and followed the droids down the ramp, carefully picking their way to the boggy surface of the swamp world. All around them stood endless swamp and glades, in every direction. "I think it's worse," Luke said.


	3. scene 3

The Millennium Falcon set down in Mos Eisley early in the afternoon, kicking up sand all around in the open-topped ship dock. Han Solo and Chewbacca ran through the shut down procedure. "I tell ya, Chewie, I'll be glad to have this debt paid off and out of my mind." 

Chewbacca grunted in agreement. 

"Who knows, maybe Jabba will give us another job." 

Chewie turned to Han and gurgled out his thoughts to his friend and business partner. 

Han looked up and nodded contemplatively, casting his gaze out at the docking bay wall. "I know you miss `em, pal," he said. "They're good kids... but joining the rebellion is riskier than smuggling." 

Lando Calrissian stood outside the ship, waiting for them to come out. He wore black pants and tall black boots with a blue pirate shirt and a long purple cape. His curly black hair fluffed out an inch off his head. The ship's ramp slid down behind him, but he didn't turn around. He heard Han's boots clack down the ramp, followed by Chewbacca's heavy feet. Han spotted his brown-skinned friend halfway down the ramp. He approached him without a word, glanced back to find Chewbacca behind him with his hands on his bowcaster. 

"Lando?" Han asked. 

Lando turned his beaming face on Han, flashing his white teeth. "How ya doing, buddy?" Han smirked and reached out his hand to shake, but Lando grabbed him up into a quick hug. 

"Couldn't be better," Han said. 

Chewbacca grunted at Calrissian. 

"What's up, Chewie," Lando said. 

"What are you doing out here?" Han asked. He tried to keep his suspicions out of his voice. In his line of work it was dangerous to trust his friends. 

"Jabba sent me to escort you to his palace," Lando said, his voice smooth and deep. "He would've sent a bounty hunter, but he was afraid you might kill `em." 

"Hey, he shouldn't have sent that poor excuse for a bounty hunter after me anyway. Jabba knows as well as I do that Greedo couldn't catch a womprat if someone handed it to him in a box. He was going to shoot me just for fun, you know." 

Lando laughed and turned to lead them to the XP-38 speeder Jabba had loaned him. It was sleeker, shinier, and faster than the speeder Luke had sold to pay Han. Lando took the controls, Han the passenger seat, and Chewbacca filled up the backseat. It took them about a minute to get out of town and into the desert wasteland. Han weighed the pros and cons of joining the rebellion. Chewbacca had been trying to convince him to join the entire trip back to Tatooine. 

Chewbacca gurgled interrogatively to Lando. 

"I've only been here for a couple weeks, Chewie," Lando replied. "I know there's an imperial garrison in Mos Eisley..." 

"They started up a few weeks ago, just before we blew up the Death Star," Han said. 

"Don't tell me you took part in that," Lando said, glancing to his friend. 

Han's expression turned mock-indignant, as well as his tone. "Well why not?" he said. "They paid well enough!" 

Lando chuckled. "Han, old buddy, you're turning into a big softy. It's about a girl, isn't it?" 

"I told ya it was about the money, Lando." 

Chewie grunted, and Han spun and shot him a scowl. 

"Princess?" Lando said. "What princess?" 

"Ah, she's too stuck up for me. Besides, Luke's got his eye on her..." 

"Luke Skywalker?" Lando asked. 

Han tossed him a puzzled expression. "You've heard of him?" 

"The empire just put a price on his head so large every bounty hunter in the galaxy is looking for him," Lando said. "You'd think he was the last Jedi, the price they're paying." 

Han knew the truth to Lando's speculation. Luke was no Jedi, but he could become one, if he survived long enough to learn. Han wondered if his joining the rebellion would help Luke. He considered the possibility that Chewbacca might join with or without him. 

Lando parked the speeder outside Jabba's palace, in the midst of several other speeders. The palace snuggled high atop a rocky plateau, surrounded by rocks and lizards and speeders and cacti. Loud up-tempo jazz music poured from the open entrance to Jabba's stone palace. The entrance was wide enough to drive a speeder bike through. A tall lanky figure with black skin and deep purple hair stood on one side of the door, his rifle openly displayed and ready in his hands. He wore dark blue clothes and a black lightsaber handle attached to his belt. He turned his glowing green eyes on the approaching visitors. Opposite him stood a tall, wide, and in all other ways large humanoid with a tusked sneer across his face, wrinkling his pug snout nose. His black hair ran in a spiky strip all the way down the back of his neck. He wore a black tank top over his muscled form, and loose black pants that draped over his open-toed shoes. He rested a battle-axe on his brown shoulder. As Lando led Han and Chewie into the palace a tall pale blue-skinned man with a long tentacle growing from the back of his head approached them. He stepped into the sunlight, revealing his colorless eyes and smiled, flashing his needle-sharp teeth at them. 

"Jabba is waiting," he said in the Hutt's language, then turned and led them down the wide corridor. 

As they followed the music grew louder, and the smell of burnt opiates drifted lazily through the air on smoke rafts. Dozens of voices chattered in Huttese as well as the galactic standard language. A twelve-foot long orange slug with a face and arms rested on a giant floating metal slab beside an equally huge hookah sending clouds of smoke into the air. All around him were aliens of all shapes and sizes, most of them on two feet. The conversed and drank and smoke and watched the half-naked blue-skinned girls dancing to the music. The band was a mixed bag of creatures, one of them a blue pachyderm behind a big slab of keys, another a ballooney green guy with a big round head and a little face that blew expertly into its brass horn. A four-armed, lanky white-skinned humanoid pounded out the beats on an electric drum kit while a long-legged yellow-skinned gal with dark green spots sang soulfully in her own language. 

Jabba's booming laugh filled the room and rattled the walls, louder than the band, which suddenly dropped off in volume and intensity as the visitors walked into the room. "Han, my boy," the hutt said in his own language. "I'm glad you have returned to pay off your debt. I would hate to have to waste such a good smuggler." 

Han pulled a small plastic card from inside his vest. "I've got the money in a bank under a false name. This is the access key." 

"I'll transfer the funds before you leave, my friend," Jabba said while the pale blue guy with the tentacle took the card from Han and walked out the room behind Jabba. "I have another job for you, Solo... if this transfer goes through." 

"Forget it, Jabba," Han said, and glanced back at Chewbacca. "We're joining the rebellion, Chewie and I." 

Jabba laughed more heartily than before, and a few others started in with him. Lando swung his incredulous look on Han, who smirked at him. Chewie garbled his affirmation. The music stopped, and the room grew silent when Jabba stopped laughing. "Well, Captain Solo, this job might give you an opportunity to help the rebellion and make us both a profit." 

"What's the job?" Han asked. 

"A client on Coruscant has requested a few crates of illegal guns." 

"That's suicide," Lando said. 

Chewbacca grunted shortly. 

Han smirked and turned to Lando. "You want to come with us, Lando?"


	4. scene 4

The rain slowed to a drizzle. Luke and Leia huddled under a heavy blanket on a large tree root. A small fire burned before them, on a cluster of roots that had ventured above the water level. Threepio and Artoo stood beside a small tent with room enough for one, their sensors running around in circles to keep track of their environment. 

"All this rain can't be good for my internal parts," Threepio said. 

Artoo whined dismally, agreeing. 

Luke and Leia stared at the fire, eating condensed space rations in the form of a solid bar of… something. "What will you do if we win, if take down the empire?" Luke asked. "What then?" 

Leia shrugged. "I don't know," she said, "I've never thought about it. The empire's been here since before I was born. I just want it to end… I never considered the possibility that it might." 

"Then why do you risk your life?" Luke asked. 

"As long as people's lives and freedoms are at stake I will do something to help. It's my duty as a Princess, as a leader. My father started the rebel alliance, and I will continue it." 

"Is he still alive?" Luke asked. 

"He was on Alderaan when the Death Star… when Tarkin…" her eyes began to tear as she trailed off, but she maintained her angry countenance. 

"I'm sorry, Leia, that was stupid of me to ask." 

She shook her head. "Don't be sorry," she said softly, her composure regained. They turned and looked into each other's eyes. The fire danced in her brown eyes, and reflected his blue. The night swallowed them until they were lost. They had not known each other long, but their lives felt destined to join together. 

Luke searched his mind for the right thing to say, but stumbled and rearranged and came back with "I will become a Jedi knight like my father… somehow." His solemn and hopeless promise always on his mind, committed to the external realm only for her. He would find a way to do it if it might save her some day. 

He turned away quickly to the fire, ashamed. He could not submit to his destiny for her sake alone. His life belonged to his cause, to the oppressed peoples who needed freedom. He would sacrifice his life for the good of the galaxy, and learn the ways of the force to do as it would have him do, to become one with the universe.


	5. scene 5

The Millennium Falcon dropped out of hyperspace into a red-sunned solar system and descended upon the tropical world Aquari, a planet almost completely overtaken with water. Several island clusters and a few big islands made up the planet's land. There were no continents. Han brought the ship close to the surface and slowed down over one of the larger islands, flew them over the large beach's rolling dunes. In the distance a large waterfall roared into the land. 

"I wonder why this place isn't the home world of an expensive resort or two," Lando said. "Does anyone even live here?" 

Han flew them over a gushing stream that divided the beach, over a cluster of swaying palm and citrus trees. "Someone lives here all right," he said. "This planet just joined the rebellion." 

"What are we doing here?" Lando asked. "This isn't Coruscant." 

Han flew the falcon straight into the waterfall. Lando flinched behind Han and Chewbacca, but they just flew into a tunnel cut through the stone. "We have to ditch the Falcon," Han said. "I don't know how we managed to avoid bounty hunters on Tatooine, but we can't take this ship to Coruscant and expect to survive." 

"So you're delivering the guns to this place instead?" Lando asked. 

"No, I'm going to borrow a different ship." 

The tunnel twisted and turned and drifted downward. Lando could barely see up ahead of them, but Han used the radar to navigate. A bright light spotted before them, stretching down the walls of the tunnel, reaching for them. It grew rapidly larger and brighter until the Millennium Falcon exited the tunnel into a large hangar that housed several ships, and set down beside a large black ship twice its size. The larger ship was smooth and sleek, shaped like a finless sea mammal. 

Han, Lando, and Chewbacca walked down the ramp into the hangar, where a battle-weary old man with white hair and beard, dressed in military fatigues, stood beside a smoothly-curved woman with dark blue skin covered by a flowing black dress. Lando and Han were caught up in her incandescent yellow eyes as she smiled and watched them approach. Course, green dreadlocks fell to the middle of her face. 

"I'm glad you returned, Captain Solo," said the old man, and grasped Han's hand into a firm shake. 

Han smiled politely. "Well, General, we're always running from imperials, so why not chase them back?" 

The general laughed and nodded thoughtfully. 

"That's a nice ship over there," Lando said, pointing to the large black ship. 

The general smiled at him. 

"General, this is Lando Calrissian," Han said. "He's a friend of mine." 

The general extended his hand to Calrissian, who shook it. "It's always a pleasure to meet new recruits," the general said. "I'm General Jan Dodonna. This is Captain Quolle." He indicated the woman beside him. 

"What's the plan, General?" Han asked. 

"The Aquali have agreed to let us load the guns onto that freighter," Dodonna said, indicating the black giant casting its shadow on the Millennium Falcon. 

"How will that be any different than flying the Falcon directly into the hands of the imperials?" Lando asked. 

"Our planet has been exporting goods to the rest of the galaxy for centuries," Quolle said. Her voice was soft, her tone of contrasting brusqueness. "Some people in Coruscant are expecting a shipment of citrus. We have full clearance." 

"So they won't search us?" Han asked. 

Quolle shook her head. "They never do." 

"Well, we should get started," Han said. "It might take us a little while to get acquainted with these controls…" 

"You will not be flying the ship," Quolle said. "I will." 

Han looked to the general for help. "I don't know about this…" 

"I have a contract to fulfill," Quolle said. 

"So do I," said Han. 

Dodonna said, "I'm afraid the choices are limited, Captain Solo." 

Han nodded. "I hope this works…"


	6. scene 6

Jedi, robed in brown, hundreds of them, swinging blue and white sabers into thousands of clones. The same face, repeatedly, falling in battle, shooting down the Jedi they surrounded. Mixed faces and races, all of the saber-wielding defenders, and among them Ben Kenobi, young and powerful, full of grace and speed, wiped down three at a time. Nothing could account for the numbers that swallowed them whole. Jedi fought and died, one by one, steadily, victims of the universe. A single-person battleship dropped down from above and sent wave after wave of spraying red energy into the ranks of the clones, taking down hundreds in every pass. Clones shot and fell, until none remained, and all but three Jedi had died. A red bolt shot out and tore through the small fighter ship, forcing it to land abruptly. The hatch opened and out jumped Anakin Skywalker – slim and dirty blonde, nearly identical to Luke, but bearded and wisened. He joined the ranks of the remaining Jedi and watched the modified TIE fighter set down before them on the rocky terrain. A small triangular ship landed behind them. The pilots dropped from the open tops of their vehicles – Darth Vader before them, a tall, black-skinned bounty hunter behind. No words escaped, only the constant wheezing, electric squealing sounds of Vader's breath mask. Obi-Wan stared into the red eyes of the black death mask, searching for the boy that had once been his pupil. Darth Vader turned on his red lightsaber and stepped up to the four Jedi. The bounty hunter shot one in the back, a light-green reptilian humanoid, and the white-furred humanoid behind Kenobi swiveled his white- bladed saber on the bounty hunter, who calmly stepped back and widened his glowing green eyes. Anakin charged Vader. In a flash of blue and red Skywalker laid on the ground, clutching his saber and a mortal wound. Kenobi raced to avenge his fallen friend, but Vader reached out his hand in a pinching motion, and Obi-Wan fell to his knees, choking. The white-furred Jedi turned and ran after Vader, but the bounty hunter shot him in the back, then stooped to collect a few sabers. Kenobi closed his eyes and began to meditate. Vader spun and fell to the ground, as though knocked out by an invisible force. Obi-Wan leapt up, spun, and swung on the bounty hunter, but missed by a few centimeters as the hunter jumped back and turned on the black-handled saber, letting its white blade escape once more. He swung at the Jedi, but was easily blocked. He flew back into the side of his ship with a gesture from Kenobi, who then turned again to face the looming black figure of Darth Vader. Vader struck down on him, but Obi-Wan parried, spun and slashed for Vader's midsection. Vader stopped the blade on his own just in time, and swung again. Blue clashed red repeatedly, crackling and hissing, fast yet skillful. Obi-Wan Kenobi spun and cut off Vader's saber hand, then kicked his chest, knocking him to the ground. The Jedi knight knelt beside Anakin and took his hand. Anakin looked up at him, his life fading from him, the small hole in his brown tunic singed and wet. 

Thunder crackled through the air, startling Luke awake. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head, looked at his surroundings. He had fallen asleep in a field of dry grass, beside a pile of wet ash surrounded by stones, a log his pillow. He rubbed a hand through his blonde hair, tousling it a bit as he yawned and stood. "Threepio, how long have we been walking through this swamp?" he asked. 

The gold-plated droid stood between R2-D2 and the princess's tent. "One standard week, sir, and I must say…" 

"We'd better find a settlement soon, or we're going to starve out here." Luke looked down at his white tunic, now covered in mud and soaked through, fixed his belt. "Come on, Leia," he said loudly. "It's time to start walking." 

He looked at the tent as it began to stir, then suddenly felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck, a premonition of danger. He pulled his saber and switched it on. 

"Oh my," Threepio said as Artoo started chattering. "Artoo says that…" 

"We're surrounded," Luke said. 

Leia poked her head out of the tent, her hair frizzed and fallen all over her shoulders. "What is it, Luke?" 

A large brown ball of fur with patches and stripes of green covering its body shot out from the brush. It stood a meter tall, supported by four short furry legs with two cloven digits on each foot. The creature's thin, bald tail flittered around behind it as it watched them with wide pink eyes. Luke and the creature stood eyes locked for a long, moment, Luke's humming lightsaber the only sound. Eight more nearly identical creatures burst out from the bush, into their campsite, and began to chatter among themselves. Luke drew in a deep breath and tried to calm his mind, to feel the force. Leia turned to get her blaster from her tent, and when she turned back around the creatures were gone. Luke turned to her and sighed slowly while turning off his saber and replacing it on his belt. "Come on," he said. "Let's fold up the tent and get out of here." 

They walked for hours, nibbling on space rations and wading through muck. Nobody spoke; minds wandered down trails of scattered thoughts, CPU's heightened sensors to aid them in finding civilization. Luke observed Leia's spacer outfit, once stately and casual, now a sagging brown mess. Suddenly the droids stopped, and Artoo chirped excitedly. 

"Artoo says his sensors have detected a large amount of movement in this direction," Threepio said, pointing over his shoulder. "He thinks it may be a settlement of some kind." 

"That's a relief," Luke said as he started off toward it. "How far is it?" 

Artoo beeped and followed the group. 

"Approximately forty eight and one half meters," Threepio translated.


	7. scene 7

Darth Vader stood on the bridge of the star destroyer the entire trip. He watched the stars race past in streaks, then slow once more into the Circarpous system. The giant ship raced to the fourth planet from the sun, which spun just behind the fifth. He said nothing to the crewmembers, merely filled the room with his frightening presence. The ship's captain approached him nervously from behind. 

"Lord Vader," the man said, his voice wavering. 

Vader turned his iron gaze to the smaller man, who flinched at the sight of him. "I will take my ship to the surface of this planet," Vader said. 

The captain looked out at the swamp world before them. "Sir?" 

"You will set up a garrison in the capitol city of Circarpous four and execute the leaders of their rebellion, as your emperor has instructed." 

The captain turned and walked away, the extent of his nerve for talking to the fallen Jedi spent. Vader stared through him, into his past…


	8. scene 8

The small town rested at the foot of a large terraced pyramid, surrounded by steel walls on all sides, with small openings wide enough for two people on all sides. Luke watched two stormtroopers cross paths on the paved road that ran through the town. He hid again behind the wall and whispered, "Stormtroopers." 

"We have to get in there somehow," Leia said. 

Luke placed a hand on his saber hilt, silencing her. Footsteps approached. Two staggering figures in reflective black jumpsuits stepped through the gates, one with his hood down, the other up, drinking from the bottle while keeping it away from the other, who grabbed impatiently at it. Leia placed a hand on Luke's saber hand, and pulled her blaster. They watched the two men silently as they staggered just in front of them without noticing. When they walked past Luke and Leia crept behind them, to incapacitate them without raising the alarm. 

A loud screech then filled the air, stopping Luke in his tracks. He checked the skies for the passing ship, but the sound left without any visual signs. The two men continued walking as though they hadn't heard, but then Threepio called out, rather loudly, "Energy mining!" 

Luke glared hard at him. The two miners turned to him, confused. They peered through drunken eyes, trying to decide what was talking. "That explains the atmospheric disturbance," Threepio continued. 

Leia raised her blaster to the side of one man's head. "We need to borrow your suits, guys," she said, and began to herd them off, further from the wall. Luke followed, contemplating on why the empire was mining energy on such a remote, desolate planet.


	9. scene 9

Vader's ship set down near the large ziggurat, a chilling sight to General-Supervisor Briv Grammel, who watched the looming figure approach the steps of the tall structure from an open window, then rushed to the door to allow him. Two stormtroopers pulled open the large wooden door just as Vader walked up the steps and stopped before the small man, peering down on his top-bald scalp and heaving paunch distastefully. Perhaps this one enjoyed his position a little too much… 

Grammel stammered momentarily, scratched at his fuzzed chin, searching for the proper greeting of this magnificent terror. Vader spoke instead. "Take me to the supervisor of this mining colony." 

"General-Supervisor Briv Grammel." The words tumbled forth in a nervous hurry. "I am in charge, sir." 

"Not today, General." Vader's voice echoed menacingly through the corridors, and Grammel's hand shot up to his neck, expecting the infamous force choke at any moment. "The empire does not pay you for your laziness." 

"Sir?" 

"An important member of the rebellion has set down on this planet. Is he in your jail?" 

"We have not reported any unusual activities recently, Lord Vader…" 

"Seal off the town and have your men on alert for any suspicious behavior," Vader said. "I sense something…" Vader stormed down the corridor, leaving Grammel to stand bewildered before him. He watched the large, black-clad figure stroll quickly away for a moment, and as his brain caught up with him he realized he should follow.


	10. scene 10

Leia cinched her stolen black mining uniform at the waist, then worked it into her belt. Luke glared at his lightsaber for a moment, considering where to keep it. That sort of thing was sure to draw unwanted, possibly imperial attention. He slipped it into his pack, which he then draped over Threepio's shoulders. "You and R2 go around the wall to that big temple, see if you can find us a ship," Luke said. 

"But..." Threepio interjected. 

"We'll meet you there tonight," Luke continued. "Don't let anyone see you." 

Threepio led Artoo off on their little trek. 

"What are you planning?" Leia asked. 

"We need to leave this planet as soon as possible." 

"By stealing a ship from the empire?" 

"Well, if it's between that and having to join the empire to survive..." 

Leia nodded brusquely. "Good point. I just hope we don't..." 

"You there!" came a strangely familiar, mechanical voice. Luke and Leia turned to the open gate, Luke stealing a sidelong glance to make sure the droids had slipped out of sight. Neither spoke, at a loss for how to respond. The stormtrooper continued, once he had their attention. "Grammel wants the colony locked down. Either come inside or learn how to live on swamp grass..." 

Leia stepped forth, hiding a shudder at the increasing proximity of the trooper. Luke's reassuring feet stomped through the grass behind her. She knew his mere presence wouldn't be enough to save her in the belly of yet another imperial beast, but she felt comfort in another soul around to help in crises and provide good company. Luke admired Leia's show of a tired, somewhat drunken walk. With her unkempt hair leaking from her black hood he hardly recognized her. 

Another howling shriek tore through the air, causing Luke to flinch. He glanced back at the trooper just in time to watch the gate close. He could only hope on the will of the force to see him through another situation beyond his control. Luke realized that he and the Princess had gone unnoticed through the small town, but he also knew that it wouldn't last, and the longer they risked exposure to the miners, the slimmer their chance for survival. Leia slowed for him to catch up. 

"We've got too much time," she said. "We need more darkness than this." 

"We just need to find something to do for a couple hours," Luke said. 

"How about a meal?" Leia asked, thumbing at the building to the right. Luke stopped and looked at the small tavern, built of wood and dirt, a sign carved from a solid piece of swamp that read `The Drunken Wookiee - best and only tavern in all of Mimban'. A few drunken miners sat on the stoop, chattering incoherently. One muttered at them as they approached. 

Luke swallowed his fear and swung open the door, easily playing the part of a tired workingman with two things on his mind: food and drink. He gathered Leia felt the same, after their long journey through the swamps. They strolled through the opiate fog, Luke measuring out his coughs in small doses. He could feel the drugs affecting his mind as he stepped further into the noisy inferno. A thousand conversations at once wavered into his ears. Nobody acknowledged the new presence. They found a table and sat opposite each other. Luke could barely read Leia's countenance through the thick smoke. Neither spoke. 

Leia quickly looked down, propped her face up on her hand, and Luke looked up to find a sweaty man in a greasy white tank top and loose black slacks approach, his hair glued to his head. He didn't speak, merely tipped his head in a slight nod to Luke, his expression noncommittal. "Two specials and two waters," Luke said, attempting to match the other man's blas? attitude. 

"What sides you want?" 

Luke looked at Leia for a moment, then back to the waiter, and said, "Surprise us." The waiter drew in a deep breath, held it in for one dramatic millisecond, then exhaled slowly and walked briskly away. 

"After this we'll take a look around town..." Luke pondered aloud. 

Leia looked up at him with a fierce smile. "Since when are you in charge?" 

Luke wasn't sure whether to laugh or quickly acquiesce apologetically. 

Leia's expression softened. "I just hope those droids aren't discovered." 

Luke nodded thoughtfully. "I didn't think we'd get away with walking them through the town..." 

"Probably not." She rested her face on her hand again, but this time she did so to block out the lights and noise and have a few moments alone with her thoughts. She didn't realize how quickly she'd gotten lost in her contemplative maze until the sound of metal slapping wood startled her free. Before she opened her eyes the smell of the food hit her, sending her stomach into a roiling acetone frenzy. Sweet sight revealed steamed greens and hot meat. Luke had already started eating.


	11. scene 11

The droids made short work of their trip around the small mining colony and stopped in the midst of a small thicket near the landing area, where they spied on the motionless ships conspiratorally. Artoo ventured a short beeping statement, starting up Threepio's worry motors in full gear. "Darth Vader?" he said. 

"Here?" 

Artoo beeped a bit more. 

"How could you possibly tell the difference between TIE fighters?" Threepio asked. 

Artoo whistled his response. 

"Don't be ridiculous, Artoo. The Millennium Falcon's cannons leave the same marks as any other blast cannon." 

Threepio observed the ship a bit longer. "Well you had better hope you're wrong, or Master Luke and the Princess are facing a great deal of trouble." 

Artoo chirped at him again. Threepio turned to the small triangular ship parked near the TIE fighter. It looked like a scaled down star destroyer with a cannon mounted on top. "What are you going to do?" asked the golden protocol droid. 

Artoo beeped at him and rolled off toward the towering ziggurat.


	12. scene 12

Leia looked around nervously, the windows of the surrounding buildings spying her out, while Luke led her casually down the paved walkway. Luke had no difficulty blending in with the hard-working miners, being a farmboy, but no amount of grubbiness could disguise the dignity that Leia continuously exuded. She knew it, and before long, she feared, so would the rest of the town. She nearly walked into Luke's back when he stopped short in front of her. Before them stood a wall, and a closed metal gate, flanked by two stormtroopers who appeared more than a little curious about their destination. 

"What's going on?" Luke asked them. 

Leia's heart skidded to a halt as she waited for the troopers to accost her. 

"Town's been sealed off," a trooper replied, but offered no more. 

"Why?" Luke asked, though he feared he knew the answer. 

"Orders of the General," the other trooper said. "Now you know as much as we do." 

"We need to get through," Luke said. 

"On what business?" 

Luke searched the racing chasm of his mind for anything that could help. "Grammel asked to speak with us about a crime we witnessed the other night..." 

"Grammel said that?" one trooper asked, and by the way he stressed the name Luke could tell he'd tossed it out improperly. 

"We have to check your identification before we can let you through this gate," the other trooper said. 

Leia drew in a deep breath. 

Luke felt his heart leap into his throat, and his stomach rolled after it. He could think of only one response for the trooper's statement. He called the force as best he could, waved his hand in front of the troopers and said, in his best imitation of Obi-Wan Kenobi's placid tone, "You don't need to see our identification." 

Leia placed her face in her hand and choked back the tears that threatened to take control. Luke Skywalker had just gone mad right there in front of her. She looked around for passive observers, but the few people nearby walked disinterestedly behind them. The two troopers exchanged glances through their skeletal masks, then returned their cold gazes to the fake miners. "What are you talking about?" one trooper asked incredulously. 

"We lost them," Luke quickly covered. "If we don't meet with the general in the next few minutes we're going to be in some trouble." 

The troopers stared at him with hidden expressions for a pause too long for Luke to bear. He wanted to run far away, but they were trapped within the confines of the looming wall. With a click the trooper's electronic voice broke the silence to say, "All right, I'll escort them into the temple," he said to the other trooper. "Stay here. This shouldn't take long." 

The other trooper nodded and shifted his blaster rifle a bit in his hands. The door slid slowly open on tracks, pulled open on hydraulics, at the press of a button on a small remote. The trooper shoved the remote into a belt pack and stepped aside to wave them through. "Hurry it up," he said gruffly. 

Luke, first through the gate, spotted the landing area off to his right, just beside the huge terraced pyramid. A glint of reflected moonlight caught his eye as it walked between the parked ships. He turned to Leia, who tossed him a worried glance with raised eyebrows and shrugged. In the same glance he noted the location of the trooper just behind him, then returned his gaze to the shining figure in the ship lot. Two yellow eyes swiveled in his direction, then back away as their owner spun a full circle of confusion, removing all doubt that he was looking at Threepio. 

At the same time as the door closed with a loud metal clunk Leia pulled her blaster and bashed it into the trooper's helmet. Luke spun and yanked the blast rifle from the trooper's hand while he straightened his helmet. Leia slammed her gun handle across the stormtrooper's unarmored throat, and Luke brought down the butt of the rifle over the top of his head. The trooper fell to his knees clutching at his neck while Luke bashed him in the face. With a grunt the stormtrooper finally sagged the rest of the way down. 

"Come on," Luke hissed and jogged off after Threepio. Leia followed, checking over her shoulder for pursuit. Artoo whistled and beeped excitedly when he saw them approach. They stopped under the battle cruiser, and Luke searched for the button to extend the ramp. 

"Oh, Master Luke, I'm so..." 

"Quiet, Threepio," Luke said. "We need to get into this ship fast." 

"Oh, I heartily agree, Master Luke, what with Darth Vader's ship parked a few meters away..." 

Luke stopped and turned to the droid. "What?" 

Leia looked around and spotted the modified TIE fighter. Her head rushed with surging adrenaline. "Find the controls, Luke. Use the force... just hurry!" 

Luke continued his search. He closed his eyes and tried to fall into the force trance he'd been attempting, but his pounding heart and fearful thoughts crippled his attempts. All at once it was too late. Booted footsteps raced toward them, rounding the corner of the ziggurat, several of them, clad in white armor. Luke handed the blast rifle to Leia, then spun his protesting protocol droid around and yanked his father's saber from the small pouch on the back. "You and Artoo find some place to hide, quick!" Luke said to the droid. 

"But..." 

"Go!" 

"Luke, what are you doing?" Leia said as the droids trundled off for the cover of the nearby brush. "We can't possibly take on all those troopers." 

"Between them and Vader, I'd rather die here," Luke replied. 

"There they are!" a trooper called out, raising up a pointed finger at the two rebels. 

"Set for stun," another said. 

With a hissing snap the glowing blue blade shot out from the smooth chrome hilt in Luke's hands. Eight stormtroopers closed the gap in a semicircle around them. Leia backed up to safety behind Luke. The tranquil electric hum of the lightsaber stole the air, captivated the eyes of the troopers for a moment. Nobody spoke. Leia broke the silence with a deadly blast from her stolen gun. As one trooper fell to a smoking hole in his chestplate, she shot another. Luke lunged forth, his saber gripped tightly in both hands, as the troopers opened fire on them. He cut smoothly, fatally through a trooper's chest, slashed sidelong at another, eliciting a scream as the surging energy blade cut into a leg. Luke suddenly crumbled, his muscles a failing mass of useless tissue, his saber sucked back into its hilt as it clattered to the ground. One of the four remaining troopers stooped and picked up the lightsaber and observed it momentarily, looked at his fallen comrades, then finally rested his armored gaze on the wannabe Jedi. Without a word he bent and slammed the saber hilt across Luke's jaw, knocking him cold.


	13. scene 13

Han stared at the surface-lit planet that grew before the curvaceous ship rapidly, several star destroyers patrolling on separate orbits. He noted Quolle's smooth, unconcerned face in front of him, Lando's clenched jaw to his left, before he realized that he'd been holding his breath. "I have a bad feeling about this," Han said. 

Chewbacca grunted in front of him. 

"We'd be a lot better off with this Jedi friend of yours with us," Lando said. 

"He's not a Jedi," Han said, "Just some cocky kid." 

The ship entered the thin Coruscant atmosphere on the evening side, dropped down into a cluster of tall, multifaceted buildings, mirrored glass glinting in the orange sky, cloud tides washing over their tops. Running lights flashed below, between buildings, crossing over, between, around labyrinthine city structures that strove to touch the tip of the atmosphere. Quolle took the ship down into the depths, sinking straight for the surface of the city, and finally set down on a platform that hung out over several sunken stories, attached to the dark side of a large building. 

A short human man with shaved blonde hair met them at the foot of the ramp, escorted by a tall, large-framed reptilian humanoid with black scales and a curving form. "What is your business here?" the short man asked sternly. 

"Jabba sent us," Han said. "I'm Captain Solo." 

"Ah," his expression immediately brightened. "We've been expecting you. I'm Commander Treg, and this is my bodyguard, Skak." The commander led them into a small empty room. Muffled laughter, conversations, and upbeat music reverberated through the walls. 

"Nice place," Lando said sarcastically. "What is this?" 

"You're in the hindquarters of one of Coruscant's finest casinos," Treg replied. 

Chewbacca growled at a corner of the room. 

"What is it, Chewie?" Han asked. 

A figure stepped forth, covered in burnt-orange fur, humanoid, with an elongated snout and willowy thin ears that curved upward in front of a fiery mane. Two beady black eyes stared at them all individually. "This is Lyrkk Feryk, one of the Bothans' top agents," the commander said. The Bothan wore grey fatigues and a blaster on his belt. 

Lyrkk said nothing. They all regarded him respectfully for a moment. 

"Let's get started with this cargo," Han said. 

"Relax, Captain," said Treg. "We have droids to handle this job, and they've already begun." 

"What kind of military strike do you hope to make on this planet?" Quolle asked. "Any group attempt on the emperor would be suicide." 

"Indeed," said the commander. "We've plotted several simultaneous surgical strikes that require some exotic weapons, which is why we enlisted them from the Hutt. This will all be timed with other planned events." 

"What are we going to do?" Han asked. 

"You will report back to General Dodonna for further instructions," Treg said, adding, "if you choose to remain with the rebellion." 

"How many soldiers do you have?" Lando asked. 

"Fifty on Coruscant at this point," Treg said. 

"You need more than that. If I can ferret out some mercenaries can you use them?" 

"We have no more credits for mercenaries, friend." 

"I have a few friends that owe me some favors," Lando said. "I'll see who I can round up." 

"You're staying here?" Han asked. 

"Looks like it," Lando said with a smirk. "I'd hate to see a pirate like you get all the credit." 

The inner door burst open, and in marched a detachment of stormtroopers. Treg bolted for the door, but his bodyguard caught him by the neck and tossed him into a wall. The Bothan pulled his gun and fired expertly into Skak's chest, sending him to the ground while Lando led Han, Chewie, and Quolle out to the landing platform. The stormtroopers opened fire on Lyrkk, just as he ducked out the door and slammed it shut behind him. A speeder set down beside the ship, and two troopers hopped out shooting. Han rolled to cover behind some crates, while Chewie, Lando, and Quolle ducked behind the ship, and Lyrkk dove away from the door. Han popped one in the chest, and Chewie hit the other. 

Quolle slapped the controls to open the ship, but Han yelled, "We can't take that ship now!" 

"How will we get back to Aquari?" she asked. 

Stormtroopers poured single-file from the door and interrupted the conversation with gunfire. Han shot back while diving for the abandoned squad speeder, followed closely by Lando. Chewbacca hurried Quolle up the ship's ramp while providing cover fire, then hopped up himself and hid behind the airlock wall. Lyrkk hid behind the door and shot each trooper in the back as he came out, until the onslaught stopped. He pushed the door shut and ran to hide with Chewbacca. Han took the speeder up into traffic, then looped around and swooped for his companions, stopping at a hover in front of the ship's ramp. 

"Everyone squeeze in," he said, and Quolle hopped into the backseat first, followed by Chewbacca, and finally Lyrkk. The door burst open, just as Han took the speeder off once again. Troopers fired on them errantly; Lando and Lyrkk returned equally errant fire as Han wove rapidly away. Two speeders rose up behind them in pursuit, weaving expertly through traffic, attempting to flank Han's stolen speeder while his passengers competed to kill the drivers. Han dove and wove and turned sharply to lose the troopers, but they followed closely behind, each of them shooting for the stolen speeder. 

Chewbacca scored a beam into one driver, sending the speeder careening into a tall building. Lyrkk knocked out the other one, and Han quickly set down on the nearest ship dock. Everyone jumped out and followed him to the nearest ship, a bulky grey freighter similar to the Millennium Falcon, but with a rectangular body. "Lando, can you override the security system on this thing?" Han asked. 

"Forget it," Lyrkk purred. "Come with me." The Bothan turned and headed for the tower attached to the landing platform. "We should put some distance between ourselves and that speeder," he said. 

The others followed. "What happened back there?" Lando asked. 

"Skak betrayed us to the empire," Lyrkk said. 

"Who?" 

"The bodyguard," Han said. "How do you know this?" 

"It's my job." 

"Then you could've stopped it from happening," Quolle said. 

"I found out too late," Lyrkk replied. He opened the door into a smoky tavern bursting with chatter and lounge music. 

"What's going to happen to that planned strike?" Han asked. 

"We'll discuss that when we contact Aquari," said the Bothan. 

They stood in the short entryway. A silver protocol droid approached them. "Good evening, sirs and madame, may I help you with something?" it asked in a voice identical to C3-PO's. 

"We need to find the elevator," Lyrkk said.


	14. scene 14

A hard slap on Luke's cheek awakened him into the hot, muggy jail cell. He pushed off from the brick floor and turned a scowl on the two troopers that had thrown him down. Leia groaned at his feet, and he stooped to help her up. She sat slowly upright and looked around the cell. 

"Are you okay?" Luke asked. 

She turned to him. "We have to get out of here, Luke. As soon as Vader sees me..." 

"All right, calm down." 

Something stirred by the wall beneath the barred window, a lump of brown fur, and beside it a blonde lump. The brown one rose and after a good yawning stretch it peered down its swaying, bell-shaped snout at the two humans, who stared curiously back. 

"What is it?" Leia whispered. 

Luke shrugged. "I'm Luke," he said to the looming figure. The blonde creature stood up beside its brown companion, regarded the humans for a moment, then turned and sniffed out the window. 

"Hin," the brown creature rumbled, placing a hand on its chest. It indicated the blonde creature and said, "Kee." 

"Leia," Luke said, pointing to the princess. "Why are you here?" 

"We fought drunk in the mine, killed a miner." 

"It was an accident," Kee muttered, her voice a bit smoother, and her accent clearer. "We shouldn't have been fighting each other when we really wanted to get at Grammel." 

Footsteps echoed through the hall, approaching. The balding General stopped at their cell with a sneer and two stormtroopers behind him. Luke stepped up to him defiantly, and Hin rolled up beside him. 

"You two are very fortunate," said the General. "Vader is on an expedition, so you have a little while longer to live. He's searching for two rebel spies, but I think we've found them." 

"You must be Grammel," Leia said. "You are a disgrace to your uniform." 

"Charming," the General replied coldly. "Quiet down, young lady, I've come to speak with the Jedi." 

She narrowed her eyes at him and clenched her fists as she rose to tell him off. 

Luke spoke first. "I don't know what you want to talk about, Grammel, but you won't get any information from me." 

"Lord Vader has come out of his way to find you, knight. Whatever he has in mind for you, I'm sure your little rebellion will be far from your mind when you meet with him." 

"So you came here to gloat?" Luke asked. 

"It will be interesting to watch him destroy you without your laser sword to protect you," Grammel continued to taunt. A long, brown arm suddenly snaked out and grabbed the General by the collar with huge probing fingers as he tried to struggle away. A stormtrooper fired a blast that sent out blue-white energy rings into the creature, knocking it down. Grammel huffed excitedly and sweat began to pour down his brow. You can watch me personally kill these worthless balls of fur in one standard hour... if you're still alive then." 

The general stormed off, his troopers trailing behind. 

"We have to get out of here, Luke," Leia said. 

"Good plan," Luke said. He flopped down to a sitting slump on the floor. Kee squatted beside Hin to check on him. 

"What are we going to do?" Leia asked. 

"I don't know," he replied. 

A spectral voice echoed in his head, "Use the force, Luke," it said. Luke looked around for his mentor, but saw nothing. He opened his mouth to speak, but Kenobi's disembodied voice spoke again, only for him. "Relax. Concentrate on your breathing until you can feel the force flowing through you." 

Luke closed his eyes and began drawing deep breaths and concentrating on inhaling, then exhaling, while Leia silently watched him. He waited for Ben to speak again, but heard nothing but the sound of his own breathing, the drip of a leaking pipe, the light pitter of drizzling rain on the glades outside the window. He became aware of different emotions flowing through him from Leia and the two furred creatures in the cell. He became one with the force, aware of every molecule around him, sensations permeating through him in ways previously unavailable to his mind. He could feel Ben Kenobi's presence, but he was nowhere around. Then he remembered the reason for his meditation. A ripple of dark feelings washed through him, but he stayed focused on his goal. He had to open the cell door. 

Hin sat up, rubbing his head, staring at Luke as he breathed deeply, loudly, every breath echoing around the cell block. 

Another ripple splashed through Luke's mind, fear, anger, hatred, greed, and sadness hit him, churning his stomach. The ripple passed through the force again, then again, picking up in intensity. Luke suddenly realized that the ripple was Vader's presence. He was coming. He could sense Luke's presence as he stretched out with the force. Luke found an electronic switch, and reaching out with his own manifestation of the force he pushed the switch. Leia gasped. Luke opened his eyes to see her jump up and run out of the cell, followed by the two furred beasts. He stood and followed them. 

"How did you do that?" Leia asked. 

"I think Ben Kenobi helped me," he said, and followed the jogging creatures down the hallway to the exit. Kee pounded the switch to open the door, surprising the two guarding stormtroopers on the other side. Hin grabbed one by the helmet and smashed him into the other, then stooped and grabbed their blast rifles. He tossed one to Kee, then charged into the corridor, followed closely by his cellmates. The two monstrosities shot down startled troopers as they went, and Luke and Leia each stopped to grab a gun and help. Alarms began blaring around them. Hin kicked open a door, and moonlight sprayed down on them, followed by an onslaught of red energy beams. Kee spun to one side of the door while Luke pulled Leia into his arms on the other side. Hin fell with a grunt, eliciting a roar from his companion. Luke and Kee spun and fired off into the ambush, then back again behind cover. 

"This isn't going to work," Leia said. 

"Why didn't you say something before?" Luke asked. 

"You were too busy using the force," Leia quipped. 

"Good idea," Luke said, and began to sink once more into the force trance. It came easier this time, four troopers stood on the other side of the door, guns ready, one dead trooper at their feet. With a gentle nudge from the force he pushed the four troopers onto their backs, then spun and charged out the door, shooting the fallen stormtroopers one by one. 

"Come on!" he yelled, and ran to find the ship lot, followed by Leia and Kee. The golden-furred creature hoisted Hin over her shoulder and slammed the door angrily behind her. Luke stopped breathless beside the ship they'd been caught trying to steal in the first place. R2-D2 rolled up, followed by a waddling Threepio. The astromech droid extended a probing attachment to an interface on the surface of the ship, and within seconds the ramp extended down and the hatch opened up. A blaster bolt struck the side of the ship, while Leia ran up the ramp, Luke close at her heels. Kee spun and dropped the trooper with one shot, then backstepped up the ramp, following the droids. 

Grammel ran out onto the lot just as the ship lifted up and shot out into space. He watched it disappear into the night sky, stared after it for a long time. His entire life had just flown away, and all he had to grasp at pitifully was the ancient Jedi weapon clipped to his belt. He grabbed it and looked down, finally becoming aware of the speeder screeching to a halt before him. Vader leapt out and sidled up to the General. He stopped and snatched the saber from Grammel's hand. "Your incompetence has betrayed the empire for the last time, Grammel," Vader snapped. He turned on Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber and observed it silently for a moment, then looked to Grammel, who opened his mouth to utter a final stammering plea for life. Vader did not hesitate long enough to listen.


	15. scene 15

Han peered in close to the small flickering hologram of General Dodonna as it stood contemplatively on the table before him. Lyrkk sat opposite him, Chewbacca and Lando stood behind, and Quolle sat beside him. Fifty rugged men and women stood all around, stone quiet, awaiting the General's words. 

"This is a very unfortunate turn of events," said the General after some consideration. "We have spent much time calculating this attack. 

"General, you know Chewie and I will help," Han said. "Lando thinks he can round up some smugglers and mercenaries to help us..." 

"Whoa," Lando interrupted. "I said I would try." 

"That's a fair enough offer," Dodonna said. "I've just received word from Captain Skywalker and Princess Leia. They are flying a stolen imperial ship straight to Coruscant to aid you." 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Han asked. 

"As long as the imperials aren't expecting an attack there will be no reason to stop them. It's our only chance of getting them in before the fleet arrives." 

"What about the Princess? Wouldn't she be safer somewhere else?" 

Dodonna sighed. "She does what she wants to do, Captain Solo. Calrissian, when you make contact with the smugglers try to purchase some big guns from them. Solo, I'm putting you in charge of the assault team until the Princess arrives. Agent Feryk will help you put together a plan. He knows more about the imperial palace than some of the guards. Contact me when the Princess and Skywalker arrive. May the Force be with you." 

Dodonna fizzled out, giving way to the immediate chatter of the impatient and worried soldiers. Lando placed his hand on Han's shoulder and leaned in. "If I don't meet you back here, I'll meet you at the palace," Lando said and quietly slipped out of the room before Han could ask any questions.


	16. scene 16

He stalked through Imperial corridors darkly, unescorted, a lightsaber swinging at each hip, bouncing off his legs silently with every step. 

Palace guards and local officers found other paths around him. Even droids avoided him whenever possible. He seemed oblivious to his surroundings, and the giant black-scaled reptilian humanoid behind him. His glowing eyes locked to the path ahead, he trusted his other senses well enough. He reached out a hand and tossed a large, hinged door aside, stopped as his eyes met those of Palpatine. 

The lizard man stopped beside him, and together they dropped to one knee and stared at the ground momentarily, the room full of awkward silence, then in unison the two black figures rose and stared expressionless at their emperor. 

"You have done well in your tasks, mercenaries. You are worth your high prices," said the emperor. 

Neither of them spoke. 

"Our remaining mole has informed me that Skywalker and the princess will soon be joining us here on Coruscant." Palpatine looked casually to the lizard man. "Skak, you are to join my sentry ships in orbit and take care of them." Skak nodded humbly, while the emperor turned his stone gaze to the other mercenary, a smirk rising on his lips. "For you, Jedi Killer, I have a special task."


	17. scene 17

Luke walked solemnly through the quiet corridors of the small imperial cruise ship, pursued by his desires and fears, unable to sleep. Even Threepio and Artoo sat quietly recharging their batteries as he wandered in the dark. He paused at the end of the hallway, at an open doorway, peering into the darkness and watching the memories of his past flicker before him like an old holoplay, silently recounting his adventures over the recent weeks. Ben Kenobi stepped out of the darkness and placed his hand on Luke's shoulder. 

"The force will be with you," he said. "Always." 

"Ben?" Luke asked the apparition, but it dimmed once more to nothing. Time froze for Luke, eons of mystery and troubled lifetime passed before he decided he should spend his time practicing with the force instead of moping about the past. He wandered back to the cockpit and meditated in the captain's chair for over an hour, until alarms rang throughout the ship, snapping him out of it. 

Kee rumbled into the room worriedly as Luke brought the ship out of hyperspace in the shadow of a looming Star Destroyer. He drew in his breath and held it until the ship entered Coruscant's thin atmosphere, unbothered by imperial ships. Princess Leia sat down in the copilot's chair, her hair clean fixed up into buns, but still in the miner's uniform. 

"That seemed a little too easy coming in," Luke said. 

"We should land the ship as soon as possible and find other transportation to the rendezvous point," Leia said. 

Luke nodded. "All right." 

He set the ship down in a parking lot behind a restaurant, and led Leia, Kee, Threepio, and Artoo out into the loud city night. Odd-shaped vehicles flew overhead, around, below in all directions. 

A few yellow speeders hovered nearby, awaiting passengers to pay them for a ride. 

The five companions walked edgily toward them, glancing about in all directions. Luke stopped and placed his fingers to his forehead, tried to shake clear his suddenly clouded thoughts. The others stopped and looked silently at him. A small rounded off cruiser dropped down from the clouds, barreling toward the yellow speeders-for-hire. Engines started, and speeders scrambled to escape the kamikaze path of the space cruiser, which then set down rapidly in front of the five rebels. They watched silently as the ramp slowly extended, the hatch door slid up, and then a large black-scaled lizard man leapt from the top of the ramp at them. 

Kee stepped forward and punched it midair on the side of the head, sending it tumbling off course. Skak rose and leapt again in one motion, tumbled all into the middle of the large furred beast, and the two rumbled, tumbling around the street with no regard for those around, who stood and watched. 

"Kee!" Luke shouted. "We can't stay here much longer!" 

Kee rolled the lizard man over to the edge, and tried to force him over, but Skak slithered out smoothly and got on top of her, wrapped thick black fingers around her neck. Kee thrashed and punched, but couldn't escape the reptile's iron grasp. 

Leia pulled her gun to shoot the lizard, but a red blaster bolt scorched the air and stopped on Skak's scaled back. A brown-skinned man in purple and lavender clothes ran out of the restaurant, cape billowing behind him. Skak turned to find the source of the blast, but in his distraction Kee tossed him over the edge of the sidewalk, turned and watched him flail helplessly through the air for a moment. 

"Lando Calrissian," the brown man said, extending his hand to Luke while eyeing Leia with his most charming smile. 

Luke shook his hand while Leia smiled back. "We appreciate your help," she said. 

"Pretty convenient that you happened to be right there to help us," Luke said, eyeing Lando suspiciously. 

Lando chuckled. "I've run into that guy before," he said. "You must be working for the rebellion if he's trying to kill you." 

They said nothing. 

"Actually, sir, we're on a very important mission to..." 

Luke clamped his hand over Threepio's mouth as Kee finally lumbered over to tower over Lando. 

"Whatever's happening," Lando said, "We shouldn't stand around too long. You never know when the empire's going to get the drop on you." 

Lando turned and headed back for the restaurant. Luke and Leia looked curiously to each other, then Luke walked briskly off after Lando. "Hey!" he called after him. Lando stopped and turned to him, smiling. "Are you part of the rebellion?" he asked quietly. 

"I'm a friend of Captain Solo's," he replied. 

"I'm Luke Skywalker." 

Luke didn't think it possible, but Lando's smile broadened even further. "A friend of Han's is a friend of mine," Lando said. "But if you'll excuse me, I've got some important business to attend. I'll see you again before this is all over." 

Luke watched him duck back into the restaurant, then turned and found Leia standing alone at the bottom of Skak's ship ramp, watching him impatiently. He quickly rejoined her and took the ship out into the Coruscant evening.


	18. scene 18

Han stared placidly at the swarming city lights from a near-empty walkway edge-rail. Quolle stood beside him, leaning on the rail. She observed his gritty facial features, touseled hair, unshaven chin…   
  
"You don't talk much, do you?" she asked.   
  
"Nothing to say," Han replied. He looked at her; their eyes connected briefly, then he looked away again casually. "I've got a lot on my mind…"   
  
"What made you join the rebellion?" she asked. "Money?"   
  
Han shook his head, smirking. "I met this kid from a moisture farm on Tatooine that has more spirit and determination than anybody I know."   
  
"So?"   
  
"So I can't sit back and let some kid try to do what the whole galaxy's been wanting to do for all these years. Probably get ourselves killed, but at least we tried, right?"   
  
"I see you're strongly devoted to your pride," she said.   
  
"Well, everyone wants to be remembered for something…"   
  
Several small speeders dropped from above onto the opposite side of the building. Han took Quolle by the hand and led her away as more speeders landed on the walk nearest them. As they briskly walked, Han pulled his comlink from his belt.   
  
"Chewie, get out of the building right now," he said, which was quickly replied with a querulous roar. "Stormtroopers," Han said, "in the front and back. You'll have to go down. Quolle and I will meet you beneath the palace in thirty minutes."   
  
Chewbacca gurgled his affirmative, and Han could hear him roaring to the others before he closed the connection.   
  
An explosion rocked the ground beneath them, but Han tried not to imagine Chewbacca's fate if he didn't make it out.   
  
"What are we going to do at the palace?" Quolle asked.   
  
"We're going to look for Lando and hopefully bring him with us, then take whatever strike force we can assemble and do what we came here to do."   
  
"Our odds have severely diminished."   
  
"Then we'll just have to fight harder, won't we?"


	19. scene 19

Luke skirted around the smoking rendezvous point, which was swarmed with troopers.   
  
"What are we going to do now?" Leia asked.   
  
Luke didn't answer for some time. He stared out the viewport at the palace looming up on the horizon as they flew toward it silently.   
  
"Luke…"   
  
"Huh? Oh… I don't know what to do, Leia, but I feel like something's calling me to the palace…"   
  
"Luke, we need an army to attack the palace. We have to wait for the fleet to arrive."   
  
Luke nodded absently.   
  
The ship suddenly trembled violently and the console came alive with flashing lights and quiet but irritating droning alarms.   
  
Two gunships swerved into view on the rear screen. The ship shook again, racing more rapidly toward the palace.   
  
Luke raised the altitude as much as he could, attempted to slow the ship.   
  
"We just lost an engine!" Luke exclaimed. He clenched his jaws and closed his eyes, swerved hard to the left, as the force guided, narrowly evading another strike, then crashed directly through the windows of some large foyer, plowed through a few statues until skidding to a stop at the far wall.   
  
"Everyone out!" Luke shouted over the intercom as he yanked his restraints off and leapt up to help Leia out of hers.   
  
As they filed down the ramp one of the gun ships fired off randomly into the building in a couple passes, then set down just inside the broken window while Luke led Leia, Kee, Artoo, and Threepio running out of the room. The gunner blasted their ship to pieces, then strafed the wall with playful potshots behind them.   
  
They charged out into a narrow series of corridors echoing booted marching footsteps.   
  
_Over here..._   
  
Luke heard the words whisper into his head, and without questioning, he followed the beckon. Kee rolled her blast rifle into her hands and set off in the opposite direction.   
  
Luke turned and called after her, but she ignored him and disappeared around a corner.   
  
"Should we go after her?" Leia asked, but Luke shook his head and charged off.   
  
"There's something down this way..."   
  
Leia and the droids chased after Luke, the sounds of pursuing troopers gaining steadily. Luke slipped into a side door, the others close behind him, into a large room of scattered, burned, ripped books, fallen metal busts, and smashed computer consoles. Eerie orange light washed into the room from the wall of windows to the left of the door, casting strong shadows behind bookshelves and fractured computer desks.   
  
"Lock the door," Luke said, and R2 plugged into a panel by the door while Luke looked around, taking lights steps further into the room.   
  
"What is this?" he asked.   
  
"Looks like an archive," Leia said. "The emperor had hundreds of them destroyed after the Clone Wars."   
  
"Why would Ben lead me here?" Luke muttered.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Nothing."   
  
Luke wandered aimlessly for a moment, then sank to his knees and closed his eyes.   
  
A swarm of boots rushed past the door. One trooper stopped and pounded briefly on the activation switch outside, to no effect. Leia listened to a couple troopers talking for a moment, before they walked past.   
  
"Artoo, make sure the other door is locked," Leia said, and the droid chirped back at her.   
  
"What'd he say?"   
  
Threepio considered a moment, then said, "He says he has already performed that particular task, and has begun another, your Highness."   
  
Luke stood steadily, and calmly approached the wall opposite the massive window. As he stared at it a small section slid open. He pulled an even small chrome sphere from inside and held it in his hand as the panel resealed itself.   
  
Leia opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly an image appeared hovering above the ball, of a middle-aged man in the traditional brown robes of a Jedi Knight. He looked somewhat similar to Ben Kenobi, in his beard and dress, but his build and facial features more closely resembled those of Luke.   
  
"Greetings, force-potentiate," said the hologram. "I am Anakin Skywalker--" Luke thought his head might explode from the mixed feelings swimming inside. "Most likely by the time you have found this message I will have been long dead. I have placed this recording inside the wall of the Jedi archive room, and a few others elsewhere, in the hopes that, should the Jedi order completely fall in this war, it could possibly be one day restored.   
  
"If you are my son Luke, then I owe much gratitude to Master Kenobi for taking care of you, and leading you here, as I have requested of him, should I not return from battle.   
  
"This recording is an interactive training lesson, and just as well offers a bit of history. If you are Luke, you may use the force to learn more about your parents, or otherwise begin the instruction."   
  
The far wall exploded.   
  
Luke shoved the sphere into his pocket, shutting off the message with the force.   
  
As the smoke dissipated a tall, black figure strode into the room--Darth Vader.   
  
Luke turned to Leia and said, "Take the droids and get out of here."   
  
R2 opened the door, and both droids wasted no time obeying his orders. Leia closed the door behind them, remaining inside. "I won't leave you, Luke," she said.   
  
"So you've decided to hide inside the remains of this useless temple," Vader mused, before Luke could argue further with Leia.   
  
"This has to end, Vader. The galaxy has made its choice. We want to be free."   
  
Vader drew his saber and stopped a few feet in front of Luke. Before he switched it on, he pulled another saber and tossed it to Luke, who recognized it instantly.   
  
"You will die holding your father's saber, much as he did," Vader taunted.   
  
Luke switched on the blue blade and stared at it for a moment, then turned his determined glare upon Vader, breathing in hard the acrid plumes of smoke left hanging on the air.   
  
"You will not find this pleasant to watch, Princess," Vader said, then ignited his red blade. The dual hums flanged and dueled to cancel each other out, matched rhythms, then broke them.   
  
"The force is with me, Vader," Luke said sternly, "and so is Master Kenobi..."   
  
"Your master is dead, young Jedi, and your rebellion all but defeated. Soon your princess will bow at the feet of the emperor to beg for her life."   
  
"I've heard enough!" Luke said through clenched teeth, then lunged and swiped his blade at Vader, who easily parried, then pushed, knocking Luke back a couple paces.   
  
Luke attacked frantically, searching for that slightest missed reflex, his blade continously striking Vader's easy blocks.   
  
From her perspective Leia could see that Vader made little effort to block Luke's wild attacks, and even passed up a few chances to strike. He was toying with him.   
  
Apparently tired of the game, Vader slapped Luke's blade aside and struck him with his gloved fist across the face. As Luke staggered back a distant rumble suddenly grew in intensity, and the glass wall soon after exploded in all directions, a few shards grazing past Luke and Leia, causing minor flesh wounds.   
  
Luke lunged again into a flurry of blue and red.


	20. scene 20

They shot out of hyperspace at the same time, hundreds of them, tossing simultaneous blaster fire and countless missiles into unsuspecting star destroyers. Imperial officers clutched walls and railings to support themselves in the rumbling corridors. It happened so fast none knew for sure what was happening until the fire stopped and the radars revealed the fleeting ships. 

"Alert the emperor!" cried several elite officers on different ships. 

The Rebel fleet had arrived. 

Wedge Antilles whooped as he raced the Millennium Falcon over an unsuspecting Star Destroyer, raking it with laser fire. Then he took the ship down into Coruscant's thin atmosphere. He smiled to his copilot, a fellow Rogue pilot named Shonn Fooley. Shonn glared out the window contemplatively, his mind lost on something not revealed on his light brown face. 

The Rebels swooped around for the second pass, obliterating newly released TIE fighters on the way to the bigger ships. Peoples around the world could see the mighty battle above. Imperial warships rose up from docking bays to join the fleet. 

Wedge smirked as they passed him by, paying the Millennium Falcon no mind. "We made it in, buddy. What's it take to make you smile?" 

Shonn cast an expressionless gaze on Wedge, then furrowed his brow and said, "Did you say something?"


	21. scene 21

Han parked a borrowed speeder on a low-level landing, a few stories below the palace. He looked up at the battle flashing in the sky.   
  
"Why are we here?" Quolle asked.   
  
"We're meeting up with the others," Han said.   
  
He heard a familiar rumble nearby as he hopped out of the speeder.   
  
"Chewie?"   
  
Chewbacca stepped forth and grunted.   
  
"Glad to see you, old buddy," Han said.   
  
Chewbacca motioned with his head and led them across the way into a small music store. A few familiar-looking biths perused the fancy synthesizing instruments, but Han had no time to pause and remember them.   
  
Chewie led them into the back room, where they were met with with Lyrkk and thirty stormtroopers. Han pulled his blaster, but Chewbacca roared and pushed his hand down.   
  
"I see the disguise works," Lyrkk said.   
  
"Too bad we don't have more soldiers," Han said.   
  
"We'll make do," Lyrkk replied. "We have two more suits over there," Lyrkk said, indicating a corner of the room.


	22. scene 22

Luke fought fervently, his breaths becoming more frequent as sweat began to bead on his forehead. Vader swung, Luke parried, repeatedly, Luke's chances to strike diminishing as Vader warmed into the fluid dancing battle, the force flowing through him and deciding his every move.   
  
Like tried to reach out with the force, but his concentration belonged to the fight, every ounce of it poured into defending his life from the flashing red menace of Vader's lightsaber.   
  
Luke stumbled back into a fallen bookshelf and lost his footing. As he tumbled over, Vader exerted his energy through the force and sent him ends-over across the large bookshelf and onto the floor. Luke hit his head, and his eyes went blurry as he fought to stay awake. He heard Leia cry out. She rushed over and crouched beside him as his saber self-deactivated and rolled away.   
  
"You are beaten, Skywalker," Vader gloated as he walked slowly around the bookshelf.   
  
Leia picked up Luke's saber and looked resolutely at it. She closed her eyes and stood, then glared at the large black figure as she turned on Anakin Skywalker's saber.   
  
"It's not over yet, Vader," she said.   
  
"You are as foolish as your father," Vader said.   
  
Leia took a few steps forward to block his passage to Luke. "Maybe," she replied, "but without your precious Death Star you're going to have to fight fair."   
  
"This will not be a fair fight, young princess."


	23. scene 23

C-3PO waddled quirkily after R2-D2 through meandering palace corridors, toward the growing sounds of blaster fire.   
  
"Artoo, slow down! Where are you going?"   
  
R2 razzed at him, then stopped and opened a door with an appendage from inside his cylindrical core. C-3PO followed the little droid into a small computer room before the door slid fast shut.   
  
R2 extended another gadget arm and logged into the computer terminal. 3PO enjoyed watching the little droid absorb information, despide his qualms with its behavior.   
  
"What you hope to accomplish by this, I--"   
  
R2 interrupted with a strand of chatter.   
  
"Traps? What traps?"


	24. scene 24

Thirty stormtroopers, a bothan, a wookiee, and two red-armored guards stormed casually through the palace corridors, unquestioned by passing aides and officers.   
  
"Where are all the guards?" Han asked from behind a sleek red mask.   
  
Chewie offered a suggestion.   
  
"Lando?"   
  
An alarm went up, blaring sirens and flashing lights on the walls, hilighting the path to the alarm-worthy activity. They picked up the pace of their trot until they rounded a corner and spotted a giant furry beast hiding behind a door as a stream of blaster fire poured through. The beastlooked up at them, on the near side of the open doorway, and raised up its gun with a snarl. The small batallion quickly ducked back behind the corner.   
  
"Where did that thing come from?" Han asked.   
  
"I don't know," Lyrkk said, "but it appears to be on our side."   
  
"We should help it," Quolle said.   
  
Chewbacca stepped around the corner and took a few steps toward Kee. He grunted softly and motioned with his hand for the large creature to join him.   
  
Kee considered a moment, then quickly approached the wookiee.   
  
"Kee," she said.   
  
Chewbacca grunted and turned back the way he'd come, waving for Kee to follow. Kee raised up her gun as she approached the detachment of soldiers awaiting her.   
  
Han lifted off his helmet and said, "Can you understand me?"   
  
Kee nodded that she did. "Yes..."   
  
"How did you get here?"   
  
"Space ship."   
  
"Who flew the ship?" Han asked.   
  
"Luke."   
  
"Luke Skywalker?"   
  
Kee smiled and patted Han on the shoulder. A blaster bolt struck the wall behind her, and several more shots fired along with it. As the faux stormtroopers ducked further back around the corner an explosion rang out through the corridors and the blaster fire ceased. Han dropped down his helmet again.   
  
A few footsteps approached them, and they all raised their weapons warily and listened.   
  
"I know I saw Chewbacca out here a minute ago..." said a familiar voice.   
  
"Lando!" Han said, and led the group out into the smoke-filled hallway to meet Lando and five assorted mercenaries standing cautiously behind him. Han recognized the lanky man with black skin and a lightsaber at his belt, who watched him with guarded interest.   
  
Lando chuckled. "You pirate! You almost scared me with those uniforms."   
  
"We should be moving," Lyrkk said.


	25. scene 25

Vader took his time strolling casually around the fallen bookshelf. The sounds of humming lightsabers and mechanical wheezing stole the moment.   
  
Leia took deep breaths to calm her nerves.   
  
The distance finally closed, Vader faked a few strikes to tease the princess. She fought back flinches, tensed for her impending doom.   
  
"You're toying with me," she said.   
  
Vader said nothing.   
  
She jabbed at him, but he blocked and shoved her backward, then stepped in and swung at her. Leia stumbled back over Luke, but kept her balance. Luke groaned as Vader stepped over him, paying him no mind.   
  
Darth Vader struck for the princess repeatedly, but she batted each strike away. Leia stepped in and stabbed at Vader's chest, but he slapped her blade away, then tapped her arm with the edge of his saber, scorching her, but not badly.   
  
She cried out and dropped the saber, bringing Luke to full consciousness. Vader stopped and watched her sink to her knees, then reached out with his hand.   
  
Leia clutched at her throat, the passage to her lungs suddenly sealed off. She heard nothing but a deep rumble that rattled the air around her. As she began to fade out she saw Luke rise quickly from the ground. He eased silently onto the back of the fallen bookshelf, jumped up, and kicked Vader across the side of his helmet. Vader staggered, Luke fell, and Leia passed out as her breath returned to her.   
  
Luke rolled over toward Leia, scooped up his saber, and snapped it on just in time to block Vader's red, searing blade.   
  
Luke took one deep breath and oozed into the force consciousness right before Vader erupted into action, his power easing Luke toward the shattered window wall. Luke let the force guide his saber to swiftly block each attempt, but at the same time it made him fully aware of Vader's even more powerful connection with the force. He realized that he would not beat Vader by trying to think like a warrior.


	26. scene 26

Thirty Stormtroopers, two imperial guards, a bothan, a wookiee, a mammoth-like humanoid named Kee, five mercenaries, and one Lando Calrissian charged down imperial corridors unimpeded. With alarms blaring and lights flashing the way was clear of non-military personnel, and the stormtroopers seemed eerily absent. 

They stopped at a large door. Han pulled up his mask and looked to Lando. "Those stormtroopers have got to be hiding somewhere..." 

"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Lando replied. 

"This is the fastest way to the throne room," Lyrkk assured them. 

"Is there another way?" Han asked. 

"Yes, but it takes longer to get there." 

"Which way?" Lando asked. 

Lyrkk pionted down the hallway to the right. "You have to go around the senate room, which is considerable in size." 

"And that's behind that door?" Lando asked. 

Lyrkk nodded. 

"I'm going," he said, then looked to the troopers. "I need about ten of you to come with me." 

Ten soldiers stepped forth, and four of the mercenaries, excluding only the black-skinned bounty hunter. 

"Come on," Lando said, and headed off. Kee followed the small battalion. 

"Good luck, old buddy," Han called after him. 

"May the force be with you," Lando called back. 

Quolle reached out a red-gloved hand and pressed the button to open the door. 

The room was dark and cavernous. Han, Quolle, Chewie, Lyrkk, and the Jedi killer stepped in first. 

Doors opened up all along the hallway from which they'd come, and to either side. Stormtroopers poured out, opening fire on the backs of the disguised rebels. 

The door to the senate room closed, leaving the twenty rebels pinned in the middle of the ambush. One of them pounded the button to open the door, but it didn't budge. 

Han turned to the door. "What happened?" 

"Sounds like an ambush," Lyrkk said. They could hardly see their surroundings in the dim light coming from the senate chairs, which lined the inside of the room like pockets of an oval insect hive. "We can take a floating senate chair across this room and--" 

A blaster fired, cutting him off. Chewbacca roared as Lyrkk hit the ground. 

The Jedi killer pulled his saber and turned it on, illuminating the scene. Quolle removed her mask while training her handgun on Han. 

"Quolle..." 

"You know, the emperor's offering a small fortune for you two, but for some reason he insisted that you were captured alive." 

Chewbacca grunted. 

"It's just too bad Vader got to your Jedi friend before I did," said the Jedi killer. 

"Luke..." Han said solemnly. 

"By now he's probably dead," Quolle said. 

"I would've enjoyed having the honor of killing the last Jedi," said the bounty hunter. 

"Luke's on this planet?" 

"He's in the palace," Quolle said. 

"I can't believe all this time you've been working for the Empire," Han said. 

"Well believe it, Solo. Now let's go. The emperor has a nice, small cell waiting for you and your monkey friend."


	27. scene 27

Luke swatted his blue blade through the air, deflecting Vader's fluid swings with a bit of effort, but guided by the force nonetheless. Always on the defense and stepping back, he knew he wouldn't last much longer. 

He thought of what would happen to Leia if he died, and found the strength to battle on. As he neared a large bookshelf that had fallen and split in two on a table he formed a plan. 

Vader struck for his head. 

Luke ducked, ran toward the window, and stopped between the bookshelf and the open Coruscant evening while Vader watched him curiously. 

They stood several feet apart, staring each other down.


	28. scene 28

Lando led his group down the hallway that surrounded the senate room with only the occasional cleaning droid for obstacles. 

"It's too quiet," Lando said. 

He paused at a large door that looked the same as where they'd broken off from the group. 

"This must be the other side," he said, then started off again. "The emperor's gotta be around here somewhere." 

After they passed the door opened, and out stepped Han, Chewie, Quolle, and the bounty hunter. 

"This way," the bounty hunter said, pointing in the direction Lando's group had run off. Han and Chewbacca walked ahead, with their captors behind them. 

"Any ideas?" Han muttered to his copilot. 

Chewbacca grunted a short reply and shook his head. 

Han stopped walking and turned to the bounty hunter. 

"Keep walking, Solo," Quolle warned. 

"What's your name?" he asked he bounty hunter, ignoring the laser pistol. 

Chewbacca turned and watched them silently. 

"I'm Zero," the bounty hunter replied. "You haven't heard of me?" 

"I only know you as The Jedi Killer," Han said. 

"Fascinating," Zero said. "Keep walking." 

"Have you ever used your lightsaber against another lightsaber?" Han persisted. 

"No. I don't have the force abilities to beat a Jedi in sword play... are you challenging me?" 

Han smirked. "What have I got to lose?" 

"Your life." 

"I'm dead anyway," Han replied. 

Zero pulled a second saber from the back of his belt. 

"Zero, don't give him that weapon," Quolle said. 

Zero grinned at her. "What are the odds that I'll get a chance for a saber fight again?" 

He tossed Han the lightsaber. Han switched it on, extending a blue blade. 

While everyone was distracted by the turn of events Chewbacca took one step forward, grabbed Quolle's gun and pushed it down as he decked her in the face. 

Zero turned to the wookiee, and Han stepped in swinging his blade. Chewbacca backed away from the fight, Quolle's gun in his hand, and watched the two men battle for a moment. 

Zero blocked Han's blatent hacks and backed up a step. 

The two blades caught midswing and crackled against each other loudly. Suddenly Zero slid his blade in, side-stepped, and tapped Han on the left shoulder. 

Han cried out and fell back. 

Chewie shot Zero's knee out before he could reach him, and the two men hit the ground. Both sabers went out as they escaped their hands. 

Zero propped himself up, but Chewie rushed over and knocked him out, then knelt beside Han, garbling worriedly. 

"I'm all right, Chewie," Han said, and passed out.


	29. scene 29

The bookshelf twitched. 

Leia sat up and swallowed, rubbing her neck. 

Still Luke and Vader stood glaring. Vader's respirator droned incessantly. 

"You're strong in the force, young Skywalker, but not strong enough." 

Books and debris picked up and flew at Luke as if caught up in a windstorm. 

Half of the bookshelf lifted slightly while Luke swung his blade to cut through the verbose assault. Books and rocks slipped past his defenses, but stopped when he kicked the floating bookshelf. It slid on the air at Vader. 

At the same time Luke threw his saber handle, and it spun rapidly for Vader's chest. Vader held out his hand and stopped the bookshelf with the force while Luke closed his eyes and flicked his thumb. 

The blue blade of Anakin Skywalker's saber drifted casually out of its elegant metal handle and sliced across Vader's chest, then went out. 

The metal handle clattered to the floor as Vader hit the ground hard, his artificial breathing halted. His saber rolled out of his limp hand and deactivated. 

Luke breathed deeply. 

The air trembled in his throat, his energy spent. 

Leia stood. "You did it, Luke!" she exclaimed excitedly, but Luke's somber countenance remained. 

"We still have to stop the emperor," he said.


	30. scene 30

Lando's group skidded to a halt outside the emperor's ornate throne room door. Two red-clad guards stood on either side. 

Without pausing they both fired, shooting down two men before the rebels responded and shot them down. 

Lando and Kee stepped up to the door as a group of stormtroopers rounded a corner and opened fire on the small rebel group. 

Kee pushed the door open, and she and Lando stepped inside. 

"Your reign of terror ends here, Palpatine," Lando said. 

The emperor cackled smugly. "Captured at the hands of a naive rogue and his overgrown pet," he said evenly. 

The two chameleon bodyguards stepped forth, weilding large rifles. 

"Put down your weapons," Palpatine said. "You've lost." 

"You're wrong, Palpatine," Lando said. "The entire rebellion decided to convene at Coruscant and reclaim the galaxy for the people today." 

Palpatine chuckled. "Just stun them," he said. 

Four shots fired at once. One hit the window behind the throne and smashed through a pane right over Palpatine's head. Another took down one of the lizard men, and the other two were spiraling stun beams that paralyzed Lando and Kee, who dropped to the floor. 

"Good," Palpatine said. "I want all the rebels executed together. We'll make a big spectacle of it."


	31. scene 31

"See-threepio, where are you?" Luke's voice came in tinny over the small comlink. 

"We're in some sort of computer room, Master Luke. Artoo insists that there are traps in this palace." 

Artoo beeped at him. 

"You've disarmed them?" Threepio said. 

Artoo responded. 

"Threepio," Luke said. "We need to find the emperor's throne room. Meet us at the library." 

"Right away, Master Luke. Come along, Artoo." 

The two droids trundled out of the room. 

In the library room Luke tucked his comlink into his stormtrooper belt, between his and Vader's saber handles. 

"What now?" Leia asked. 

"We have to wait for the droids."


	32. scene 32

Chewbacca knew he'd reached the throne room when he saw the large group of white suits strewn on the ground, the thick armor seemingly as effective as paper. He spotted some of the mercenaries that had accompanied them, and the two royal guards. 

Han opened his eyes and looked up at the wookiee. He was dangling in his arms like a sleeping child. 

"Put me down, Chewie," Han said. 

Chewbacca grunted and set him on his feet. He bellowed a bit. 

"I'll be fine, Chewie... just need some medical attention when we get outta here." 

Chewie grunted. 

Han looked around. 

"Yeah, this looks like the place. You ready?" 

Chewbacca stepped up to the door, and Han pushed it open. 

A stun beam shot out and took them both down, much to the emperor's cackling delight.


End file.
